San Francisco, Levi's Luxury Apartment.
Following the Seattle game, Levi's "Anti-Gravity Touchdown" once again shook the globe. Yet, Levi had no heart to savor the victory. Every cell in his body screamed with unrest because he knew his powerful burst hadn't truly solved the core problem: Sophie's heart-stoppage countdown.
Levi returned to his apartment and found Sophie sitting calmly in the living room. Her face was abnormally pale, but her eyes held a sense of calm, almost relief.
"You won," Sophie said softly. "You destroyed the Observer's Gravity Controller. You proved your strength."
Levi rushed to her, pulling her into a tight embrace.
"Are you okay? Did the countdown stop?" Levi asked urgently.
Sophie shook her head, her body trembling slightly in his arms.
"No," Sophie's voice carried a hint of despair. "The countdown didn't stop. I have... less than 48 hours left."
Sophie pushed Levi away and retrieved a micro-projector from her pocket.
"Levi, I didn't come here to beg for rescue," Sophie said, her tone exceptionally calm. "I came to tell you how to save yourself."
The projector activated, casting a complex schematic of a "Dimensional Shackles" device onto the wall.
"This is the ultimate weapon the Observers use against 'Subjects' like you," Sophie pointed to the blueprint. "It was created by a rogue scientist named Dr. Eva. Only this device can completely lock down your Critical Energy."
"You need to find Dr. Eva. She is the only one who can deactivate the self-destruct mode in your body."
Levi looked at the complex blueprint, a sense of foreboding filling his mind.
"Why didn't the Observers use this against me?" Levi asked.
Sophie's eyes flickered, and she didn't answer directly.
"Because they wanted to capture you alive, not destroy you," Sophie lowered her gaze. "But now, the situation has changed."
Just then, the living room's smart screen violently lit up!
The screen revealed the distorted, menacing face of Observer-03. His left arm was bandaged, his eyes filled with cold hatred.
"Levi Wang! Have you finished your touching little 'hero saves the damsel' show?" Observer-03's voice was laced with mockery.
"Sophie Murphy, it's time your clumsy lie came to an end."
Observer-03 revealed a sinister, cold smile to the camera.
"Levi, who did you think was controlling your Critical Energy? Did you really believe Sophie was just an innocent team doctor?"
Levi abruptly stared at Sophie, the sense of dread reaching its climax!
"Observer! What are you talking about?!"
"She is no innocent team doctor," Observer-03 cackled, his voice filled with the thrill of revelation.
"She is Dr. Eva's younger sister! She was implanted with our micro-chip from childhood! All her 'love' and 'care' were intended to collect your data, and—"
Observer-03 abruptly raised his voice, his tone filled with malice!
"—to detonate you at the critical moment!"
"She is our 'Emotional Bait!' She knows all your weaknesses! She is the biggest virus within your system!"
Levi felt as if he had been struck by lightning! He violently turned to face Sophie, whose eyes were desperately avoiding his gaze!
"Tell me!" Levi's voice was filled with extreme pain and trembling. "Is he telling the truth?"
Sophie's body was frozen like ice. She couldn't deny it, only painfully closed her eyes.
"Levi... I'm sorry... I..."
"Sorry?!" Levi roared!
His Anger Critical Threshold, which had just been suppressed by the Emotional Lock, was instantly ignited by the most poisonous emotions—betrayal and deception!
[ALERT! Energy Critical Threshold: 120%! Energy Overload! Host Emotional Core Breached!]
[System Self-Destruct Mode: Activated! Host will initiate atomic-level self-detonation within 30 seconds!]
Levi's body violently erupted in red light! Every object in the apartment instantly floated up, then was instantly pulverized by the terrifying energy blast!
Levi charged at Sophie, his eyes bloodshot!
"You used me! You deceived me! Was your heart-stoppage threat also a lie?!" Levi roared.
Sophie opened her eyes, which were filled with despair and relief!
"It's true! Levi! But it wasn't to deceive you!"
Sophie violently pulled out a silver syringe from her pocket and plunged it into her own arm!
"This is the 'Energy Hibernation Agent' left by Dr. Eva!" Sophie cried out. "The Observer is right! My love is your weakness!"
"If you completely lose me, your energy will go into hibernation!"
Sophie's body instantly became rigid. Her face turned snowy white.
"Levi... I used my life to help you enter hibernation!"
Sophie used her last ounce of strength to push a micro-storage chip into Levi's chest.
"Find Eva... live!"
Sophie's body went still in Levi's arms. Her heart had stopped beating.
[Emotional Bait: Sophie Murphy. Deceased.]
[Host Emotional Core Shattered. Energy Critical Threshold: Forcibly Zeroed!]
Levi held Sophie's cold body, his entire body's red glow instantly extinguished. He sank weakly to his knees, his body drained of all strength.
He had won every game, but he had lost his "heart."
On the screen, Observer-03 laughed maniacally.
"Game over, Levi! You are now just a living, sleeping piece of trash!"
Observer-03 violently shut off the screen, speaking into his headset with extreme excitement:
"Sir! Levi Wang has entered 'Energy Hibernation!' Immediately deploy the 'Dimensional Shackles' capture team! Objective: Capture Alive!"